Beef & Butter Bean Stew with Mash

This is my perfect Thursday night meal - especially on a rainy day!  Why Thursdays?  Because I try and get my ass down to a 6.30pm Zumba class whilst DH puts the kids to bed.  So every Thursday I need to cook something that can easily be reheated without comprising on flavour.  Having said that, after a manic week I opted to skip Zumba and wash my delicious dinner down with a glass of Malbec. Yum indeed!

Serves 2 adults

• 300g lean braising steak or casserole beef, cut into chunks
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
• 4 medium sized carrots, peeled and roughly chopped. 
• 1 large tin of butter beans, drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Approx 800ml - Beef stock
• 1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
• 1 tablespoon Tomato puree
• 350g potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 2 tablespoons skimmed milk.
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Heat the oil in heavy saucepan and gently soften the onion and celery for a few minutes.  Turn the heat up and add the beef and brown all over.  Once browned, sprinkle over a tablespoon of flour to soak up the juices.  The flour will help thicken the sauce too.  Slowly add the beef stock to avoid lumps and once added turn down to a simmer.

Add the Worcester sauce, tomato puree, bay leaf, dried thyme and carrots.  You can also add other root vegetables such as swede if you prefer.  Add some freshly ground black pepper and some salt to taste.

Place in a oven pre-heated to about 150 for 1 hour 30 minutes.  Give it a stir occasionally.  Add the drained butter beans and cook for another 30 – 45 minutes.  Check the meat to ensure it is tender and adjust the seasoning

To make the mash potato, peel and dice and add to a pan of cold salted water.  Bring to the boil and then simmer until very soft and you can easily cut through the potato with a knife.  Drain and allow to completely steam dry.  Meanwhile, melt the butter over a low heat and add the milk to warm through.  Tip the potatoes back into the pan and mash with a potato masher until soft and mixed.  You can add a sprinkle of nutmeg too if you like.

Tonight I used up the other half of the savoy cabbage from the fridge to serve with the mash and stew and it was delicious!

Weightwatchers Propoints: 13